Secondary Navigation

Primary Navigation

Mullins Can Kick-Start Downpatrick Double

The Ruby Walsh double at Downpatrick didn’t click on Saturday but those having a bet at the Northern Ireland track on Sunday will hopefully benefit from the first and last race double.

Cousins To Combine In The First
David Mullins will take the ride on Arbor Des Champs in the opening race for his cousin Emmet and at around EVS the six-year-old looks a good prospect to get the day off to a good start.

Arbor Des Champs does have to concede an awful lot of weight to her rivals, being the only bumper winner in the field, but…

that bit of class should be enough to see her come good against this field.

Henry de Bromhead’s Theatre Dreams is the obvious danger but Arbor Des Champs was second to the very talented Ladysingstheblues at Punchestown last month and a repeat of that effort should be enough here.

Take Out The Guessing
In the concluding race Gordon Elliott, who will run plenty with chances at Downpatrick, should be able to oversee Its All Guesswork, opening his account at the fourth time of asking.

Fitted with a tongue tie at the Punchestown Festival for the first time, the son of Mahler improved his effort that day only to finish second to a landed gamble in Canardier and with Lisa O’Neill booked to ride in this ladies race, there will be few excuses for him on this occasion.

Katie Walsh has been booked for John Kiely’s Decision Time and that filly is in receipt of seven-pounds from the selection but Its All Guesswork went back down the bumper route with a bit of a reputation and the fact that connections have opted to give him another crack here rather than going over hurdles suggests confidence that he is up to notching up his first career win before going over jumps.

Hayden To Return To Winning Ways
John Hayden’s string has become smaller over the years but the veteran Curragh based trainer can record his first winner of the season at Cork on Sunday and he has booked the champion jockey Pat Smullen for good measure.

Accalia was a winner at Down Royal last season and showed very well on her seasonal debut at the Curragh last month and looks a smashing bet at 7/1.

The four-year-old was always handy at HQ and just appeared to run out of puff late on that day and can hopefully strip fitter for that outing and return to winning ways on her favoured quicker ground here.

Accalia will need to be on her game to get the better of a couple of speedy sorts in Eddie Lynam’s Magic Bear and Miss Power, while Snowstar is a handicap debutant with just 8st4lbs on her back but Accalia is running off a mark of 75 and is hopefully up to proving that is a bit on the lenient side.

Author

Niall Cronin is The Herald’s racing correspondent for nine years covering all the major meetings including Punchestown, Cheltenham, Aintree and he has followed the Irish-trained runners to the last three Melbourne Cups. Niall also rides out on a daily basis for trainer Philip Dempsey in County Kildare.